INVEST IN KIDS FOUNDATION PROMOTING THE YEARS BEFORE FIVE
By Adnews Staff
Toronto-based IKF Invest in Kids Foundation turned to the social marketing agency Manifest Communications of Toronto to launch a public awareness campaign. The IKF campaign called "The Years Before Five Last The Rest Of Their Lives" runs until June 2000. IKF is a national non-profit organization who's purpose is to promote the healthy development of children aged zero to five. The public awareness campaign targets parents and caregivers. Manifest developed a campaign strategy and creative approach that reinforced the critical importance of a child's pre-school experiences. The ads, which depicted young children as animals, vegetables or plants, asked a two-part question that would consider the child's outcome. One ad depicts a child in an egg shell with the question "Will a child stay in an emotional shell or emerge sunny-side up?" Another features a child in an eggplant with the question "Will a child lie and vegetate or blossom intellectually?" The campaign includes: a 30-second television commercial running on all major broadcast stations in Ontario, three print ads in family, parent and women's publications and interior transit cards and posters in all major Ontario cities. New creative and transit shelter advertising will be released in January, expanding the campaign. Additional materials produced by Manifest include, a corporate profile of the foundation's research, advocacy programs and training, a public awareness brochure and a direct mail piece for potential donors.